Nor are such failures rare. Over the past two decades, more than 5,600 failures in oil and natural gas pipelines — many of which predate the Eisenhower administration — have resulted in 367 fatalities and more than 100 million gallons of oil spilled.

We can make investments now to update our nation’s aging pipelines in ways that make them safer, more efficient and more environmentally sound. It’s time we did so.

In addition to pipelines that carry oil, our natural gas pipelines — which provide heat and hot water to millions of homes across the country — can also be a liability. In 2010, an explosion in San Bruno, Calif., killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. Investigators found numerous defective welds in the natural gas pipeline that was installed in 1956 and discovered that prior to the explosion, there was a significant spike in pressure.

And San Bruno is hardly the only spot where pipelines are old and in poor condition. Apart from major incidents, leaks can be rampant in aging pipelines and pose a more subtle threat. A study financed by Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, which examined gas leaks in Boston, found the aging natural gas infrastructure of the city had 3,356 leaks. Levels of methane — the main component of natural gas — were found to have been 15 times the normal levels in the atmosphere.

In addition to these safety implications, consumers and businesses end up paying for these leaks in the form of higher gas bills. Utility companies measure the gas that goes out and bill consumers on what their meters read; what gets “lost in the system” gets tacked on at the consumer’s meter and gas bill.

It’s time we fix this problem and make the investments needed to ensure these systems are safe and reliable. This requires nationwide community education and awareness efforts that encourage government and utilities to work together to improve our pipeline infrastructure. In the short term, one corrective measure that should be expedited comes from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration — part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. PHMSA, which is responsible for developing and enforcing pipeline safety regulations, is making utility companies install auto shutoff valves on natural gas pipelines. So if there is a problem, dangerous conditions can be contained.

Fixing America’s pipeline infrastructure is vital to the safety of our communities, but it’s also important to addressing climate change. Methane is the second-largest greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere, contributing 18 percent of our emissions. And the amount of methane in our atmosphere has doubled from what would naturally occur. Failing to control our pipeline methane leaks will undo all the environmental benefits accrued by increased use of natural gas.

But there is a common-sense solution: upgrading the standards of our current natural gas pipelines and then rebuilding to those new and safer specifications. That would help the environment and create good jobs for American workers. The INGAA Foundation estimates that the repair and build out of our natural gas pipeline infrastructure would help to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create as many as 125,000 jobs a year between now and 2035. America needs good public policy to move us forward in the 21st century and rebuilding a safe, reliable pipeline infrastructure.

Frances Beinecke is the president of the Natural Resources Defense Council; William P. Hite is the general president of the United Association. Both organizations are members of the BlueGreen Alliance — a nationwide partnership of labor unions and environmental organizations.